SAN LUIS OBISPO — Michele Sordi, editorial vice president of international publisher SAGE, will be the keynote speaker at Cal Poly’s International Printing banquet on Thursday, Jan. 30, in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Sordi’s talk will delve into the future of printed textbooks, scholarly publications and periodicals, and look into SAGE’s advancements into the future of e-media.

Sponsored by Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department, the banquet concludes a week of speakers and related events and will be held at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.

At SAGE, Sordi is responsible for directing the print, digital and product innovation strategy for SAGE’s U.S. College and Library Publishing programs.

Sordi made the move into textbook publishing following completion of her doctorate in 18th century English literature from the University of California Santa Cruz. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wellesley College.

Over the course of her nearly 20-year publishing career, Sordi learned the business from the ground up, starting as a college sales representative, acquisitions editor, executive editor and publisher, before joining the executive team at SAGE in 2008. At SAGE, Sordi leads a team of publishing professionals dedicated to commissioning the world’s best authors to produce trusted, evidence-based content. As the global publisher of social sciences, Sordi said that “SAGE aspires to advance research and education with the aim of informing public policy to improve people’s lives.”